Glenn Mulcaire appeal to be heard in high court

The private investigator at the heart of the phone hacking scandal is due to appear in the high court later today as he attempts to secure protection from facing more civil proceedings against him.

Glenn Mulcaire is appealing against a court ruling that he cannot rely on privilege against self-incrimination, meaning he does not have the power to refuse to answer questions put in civil cases.

Currently, Mulcaire would have to reveal who asked him to provide details of voicemail numbers, as well as explain how he obtained voicemail numbers and passwords.

Comedian Steve Coogan and PR consultant Nicola Phillips, a former employee of Max Clifford, have launched civil damages claims against News International, the former publisher of the News of the World.

A raft of information was contained in notebooks handed over by Mulcaire to the police after he was jailed for six months in January 2007 for illegally intercepting the voicemails of members of the Royal household.

Mulcaire, who was jailed alongside News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman, was said to have been contracted by the Sunday tabloid for "research assignments" from late 2001.

His appeal will be heard by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger and Lord Justice Maurice Kay in London, reports BBC News.